The points of issue
Nora Roberts's debut novel. Silhouette Romance #81, a category mass-market paperback original, 1981. The first printing is identified by the Silhouette Romance series number 81, the original cover price, and no later-printing statement. As a disposable category romance intended for roughly one month on sale, surviving fine first printings are genuinely scarce.
Is this the true first?
The paperback original is the true first; there was no original hardcover. The later St. Martin's hardcover and the 'Irish Hearts' omnibus are first thus only. This is the cornerstone Nora Roberts collectible as her first published book.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club hardcover in 1981. Beware the 'Irish Hearts' omnibus and later standalone reprints; verify the 1981 date and the Silhouette Romance #81 designation.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Irish Thoroughbred a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Nora Roberts's debut novel. Silhouette Romance #81, a category mass-market paperback original, 1981. The first printing is identified by the Silhouette Romance series number 81, the original cover price, and no later-printing statement. As a disposable category romance intended for roughly one month on sale, surviving fine first printings are genuinely scarce.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The paperback original is the true first; there was no original hardcover. The later St. Martin's hardcover and the 'Irish Hearts' omnibus are first thus only. This is the cornerstone Nora Roberts collectible as her first published book.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club hardcover in 1981. Beware the 'Irish Hearts' omnibus and later standalone reprints; verify the 1981 date and the Silhouette Romance #81 designation.
I have a first edition of Irish Thoroughbred — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.